Button structures for electronic devices

ABSTRACT

An electronic device may have buttons, a display, and a vibrator unit. Buttons may be included in electronic devices such as glass buttons, metal buttons, buttons that are assembled on printed circuit boards, and buttons that are partly formed from antenna structures. Button coatings may be used to improve the sliding performance of metal-on-metal buttons. A layer of polymer may be interposed between a button plate and a housing structure. A glass button member may have an underside on which a layer of patterned ink is formed. Elastomeric members may be used to reduce button rattle. Portions of a button may be provided with conductive features that form portions of an antenna.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a divisional patent application of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 12/794,651, filed Jun. 4, 2010 and titled “ButtonStructures for Electronic Devices,” now U.S. Pat. No. 8,526,161, whichclaims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No.61/325,761, filed Apr. 19, 2010 and titled “Button Structures forElectronic Devices,” the disclosures of which are hereby incorporatedherein in their entireties.

BACKGROUND

This relates generally to electronic devices and components forelectronic devices.

Electronic devices such as cellular telephones include numerouselectronic and mechanical components. Care should be taken that thesecomponents are durable, attractive in appearance, and exhibit goodperformance. Tradeoffs must often be made. For example, it may bedifficult to design a robust mechanical part that is attractive inappearance. The designs for attractive and compact parts and parts thatperform well under a variety of operating environments also posechallenges.

It would therefore be desirable to be able to provide improvedelectronic devices and parts for electronic devices.

SUMMARY

Electronic devices may be provided that include mechanical andelectronic components. These components may include mechanicalstructures such as mounting structures and electrical components such asintegrated circuits, printed circuit boards, and electrical devices thatare mounted to printed circuit hoards. Optical components, connectors,antennas, buttons, and other structures may be included in an electronicdevice.

An electronic device may have a housing. Electronic components andmechanical structures may be formed within the housing. To ensure thatthe electronic device is attractive, attractive materials such as metaland plastic may be used to form parts of an electronic device. Compactsize may be achieved by using compact internal mounting structures. Goodelectrical performance may be achieved by designing an electronic deviceto handle a variety of thermal and electrical loads.

Buttons may be included in electronic devices such as glass buttons,metal buttons, buttons that are assembled on printed circuit boards, andbuttons that are partly formed from antenna structures. Button coatingsmay be used to improve the sliding performance of metal-on-metalbuttons. Elastomeric members may be used to reduce button rattle.

Vibrator units may be used to vibrate an electronic device in responseto an incoming telephone call, calendar entry, or other event. A taperedcounterweight may be used to save space.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an illustrative electronic device inaccordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2A is a front perspective view of an illustrative electronic devicethat may be provided with a button in accordance with an embodiment ofthe present invention.

FIG. 2B is a rear perspective view of an illustrative electronic devicethat may be provided with a button in accordance with an embodiment ofthe present invention.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional side view of a conventional plastic cellulartelephone button.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a glass button structure that may beused in a button in accordance with an embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative button inaccordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative button mountedwithin a portion of an electronic device in accordance with anembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a flow chart of illustrative steps involved in forming abutton in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an illustrative electronic device inaccordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional end view of an illustrative electronicdevice of the type shown in FIG. 8 in accordance with an embodiment ofthe present invention.

FIG. 10 is a top interior view of an electronic device in accordancewith an embodiment of the present invention

FIG. 11 is a top view of an interior portion of an electronic deviceshowing how a microphone may be mounted using an audio jack inaccordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of a conventional button in a cellulartelephone.

FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of a button assembly in an electronicdevice in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of an illustrative electronic devicevibrator having a tapered weight having a conical surface in accordancewith an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of an illustrative electronic devicevibrator having a tapered weight formed from cylindrical sections ofdifferent sizes in accordance with an embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 16 is a top view of an illustrative electronic device vibrator witha conical tapered weight in accordance with an embodiment of the presentinvention showing how the tapered shape of the weight allows foradditional components to be mounted in the vicinity of the vibrator.

FIG. 17 is a top view of an illustrative electronic device vibratorhaving a tapered weight formed from cylindrical sections of differentsizes in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 18 is a side view showing how a vibrator may be mounted between anelectronic device housing structure and an audio jack in accordance withan embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 19 is a perspective view of a button of the type shown in FIG. 13that has a button member that protrudes through a device housing andthat has a visual indicator formed from a patch of ink on a portion ofthe button in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 20 is a perspective view of a button of the type shown in FIG. 19after the button has been moved to a position that hides the visualindicator from view in accordance with an embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 21 is a cross-sectional view of a button of the type shown in FIGS.19 and 20 showing how a coating may be provided on a portion of thebutton member to allow the button member to travel smoothly along theinterior of a device housing in accordance with an embodiment of thepresent invention,

FIG. 22 is a cross-sectional view of an illustrative electronic deviceincluding a button that has a button support member with antennastructures in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 23 is a perspective view of an exterior corner portion of anelectronic device with a button in accordance with an embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 24 is side view of an illustrative button assembly having anintegral central spring in accordance with an embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 25A is a front perspective view of a button plate having buttonmembers in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 25B is a side view of a button plate having button members inaccordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 25C is a rear perspective view of a button plate having buttonmembers in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 26 is a perspective view of a portion of an electronic devicehousing having an integral spring in accordance with an embodiment ofthe present invention.

FIG. 27 is a perspective view of a button plate attached to a portion ofan electronic device housing that has an integral spring in accordancewith an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 28 is a perspective view of a dome switch assembly in accordancewith an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 29 is a perspective view of a button plate attached to a portion ofan electronic device housing four side springs in accordance with anembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 30 is side view of a button assembly having four side springs inaccordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 31 is a perspective view of a button plate attached to aband-shaped housing structure using a clip in accordance with anembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 32 is a side view of a button assembly having a clip in accordancewith an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 33 is a cross-sectional side view of a button assembly having alayer of material such as plastic between a housing structure and buttonplates in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 34 is a bottom perspective view of a layer of material such asplastic between a housing structure and button plates in accordance withan embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 35 is a side view of a layer of material such as plastic that isflexed when as a button member is pressed by a user in accordance withan embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 36 is a side cross-sectional view showing how nubs may be insertedin a button plate of a button assembly in accordance with an embodimentof the present invention.

FIG. 37 is a top perspective view of nubs inserted in a button plate inaccordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 38 is a side cross-sectional view of nubs inserted in button platesin accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 39 is a side cross-sectional view of a tool that may be used toform nubs in a button plate in accordance with an embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 40 is a side cross-sectional view of a ring surrounding a buttonmember in a button assembly in accordance with an embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 41 is a bottom perspective view of a ring surrounding a buttonmember in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 42 is a side cross-sectional view of a button assembly having acoated anti-roll bar in accordance with an embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 43 is a diagram of a coated anti-roll bar attached to a buttonmember in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 44 is a side view of a button assembly having a bias spring inaccordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 45 is bottom view of a button plate having bias springs inaccordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 46 is a side view of a button assembly having a bias spring that iscompressed when a button member is pressed in accordance with anembodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Electronic devices can be provided with mechanical and electroniccomponents such as optical parts, camera mounting structures, cowlingsand other cosmetic parts, printed circuits and support structures,thermal management structures, buttons, vibrators, and other mechanicaland electrical structures.

Electronic devices that may be provided with these components includedesktop computers, computer monitors, computer monitors containingembedded computers, wireless computer cards, wireless adapters,televisions, set-top boxes, gaming consoles, routers, portableelectronic devices such as laptop computers, tablet computers, andhandheld devices such as cellular telephones and media players, andsmall devices such as wrist-watch devices, pendant devices, headphoneand earpiece devices, and other wearable and miniature devices. Portabledevices such as cellular telephones, media players, and other handheldelectronic devices are sometimes described herein as an example.

An electronic device may be provided with a glass button. Layers ofpatterned material may be formed on the underside of the glass buttonmember.

A housing structure such as a plate may be connected to the housingsidewalls. Ports such as ports for an audio jack and a microphone may beformed in the housing sidewalls. An audio jack may be mounted to thehousing plate adjacent to the audio jack port. A microphone may bemounted between the audio jack and the housing sidewall. A vibrator maybe mounted between one of the sidewalls and the audio jack using abracket.

A button may have a button member with a protrusion that extends throughthe button opening in the sidewall. A support structure may beinterposed between a switch and the button member. The switch may have aportion that extends through an opening in the support structure. Alubricating coating may be formed between the button member and thehousing sidewall.

Portions of a button may be provided with conductive features that formportions of an antenna. The conductive features may include sheet metalinserts and conductive traces that are formed directly on plastic parts.With one suitable arrangement, a button support member may be providedwith a metal trace and a sheet metal insert.

Mounting structures may be provided for attaching button assemblies tothe inside of electronic device housing. An integral spring may beattached to the inside of the housing. A button plate may have buttonmembers and an opening through which the spring may be inserted,attaching the button plate through the housing.

Button assemblies may be provided with a member such as a silicone sheetthat is interposed between the housing and button plates. This layer ofmaterial may reduce undesired motion and rattle of the buttons.

An illustrative electronic device that may be provided with mechanicaland electrical features to improve performance, aesthetics, robustness,and size is shown in FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 1, device 10 may includestorage and processing circuitry 12. Storage and processing circuitry 12may include one or more different types of storage such as hard diskdrive storage, nonvolatile memory (e.g., flash memory or otherelectrically-programmable-read-only memory), volatile memory (e.g.,static or dynamic random-access-memory), etc. Storage and processingcircuitry 12 may be used in controlling the operation of device 10.Processing circuitry in circuitry 12 may be based on processors such asmicroprocessors, microcontrollers, digital signal processors, dedicatedprocessing circuits, power management circuits, audio and video chips,and other suitable integrated circuits.

With one suitable arrangement, storage and processing circuitry 12 maybe used to run software on device 10, such as internet browsingapplications, voice-over-internet-protocol (VOW) telephone callapplications, email applications, media playback applications, operatingsystem functions, antenna and wireless circuit control functions, etc.Storage and processing circuitry 12 may be used in implementing suitablecommunications protocols. Communications protocols that may beimplemented using storage and processing circuitry 12 include internetprotocols, wireless local area network protocols (e.g., IEEE 802.11protocols sometimes referred to as Wi-Fi®), protocols for othershort-range wireless communications links such as the Bluetooth®protocol, protocols for handling cellular telephone communicationsservices, etc.

Input-output devices 14 may be used to allow data to be supplied todevice 10 and to allow data to be provided from device 10 to externaldevices. Examples of input-output devices 14 that may be used in device10 include display screens such as touch screens (e.g., liquid crystaldisplays or organic light-emitting diode displays), buttons, joysticks,click wheels, scrolling wheels, touch pads, key pads, keyboards,microphones, speakers and other devices for creating sound, cameras,sensors, etc. A user can control the operation of device 10 by supplyingcommands through devices 14 or by supplying commands to device 10through an accessory that communicates with device 10 through a wirelessor wired communications link. Devices 14 or accessories that are incommunication with device 10 through a wired or wireless connection maybe used to convey visual or sonic information to the user of device 10.Device 10 may include connectors for forming data ports (e.g., forattaching external equipment such as computers, accessories, etc.).

Electronic devices are often controlled using buttons. Buttons aretypically formed from metal or plastic. Metal is durable and can be usedto form shiny buttons. Plastic may be provided in different colors andcan be inexpensive.

For aesthetic reasons, it may be desirable for a button to have anappearance that matches surrounding structures. A device with a metalhousing may, as an example, be provided with matching metal buttons,

Some devices have glass surfaces. For example, some cellular telephoneshave glass displays. In this type of environment, it may be desirable toform a button that matches the appearance of the glass display. Plasticbuttons may not match the appearance of a glass display as well asdesired and may be prone to scratches. Metal buttons might offerimproved durability, but typically would be even more dissimilar inappearance to the glass display than a plastic button.

It would therefore be desirable to be able to provide an electronicdevice with improved button structures.

An electronic device such as a cellular telephone may have a display.The display may have a layer of cover glass on its exterior surface.Additional layers such as a layer of image pixels and a layer ofcapacitive electrodes for implementing a capacitive touch sensor arraymay be formed under the cover glass.

The cover glass may be provided with one or more openings. For example,a circular opening may be formed in the cover glass in an inactiveportion of the display.

A button such as a glass button may be mounted in the circular opening.A user may actuate the button to make menu selections and perform otherdevice functions during operation of the electronic device.

The button may have a glass button member such as a disk-shaped glassbutton member. The glass button member may be formed from transparentglass (e.g., a thin clear disk of glass). An optional concaveindentation may be formed in the upper surface of the glass buttonmember.

The glass button member may have an exterior surface that lies parallelto the exterior of the device and the exposed surface of the coverglass. The glass member may have a parallel planar underside that liestowards the interior of the electronic device.

Layers of patterned material may be formed on the underside of the glassbutton member. For example, a layer of patterned ink may be formed onthe underside of the glass button member. Another layer of material suchas a background layer of ink may be formed on top of the deposited layerof patterned ink. The layer of patterned ink may be, for example, apatterned white ink layer. The background layer may have a differentcolor than the patterned ink layer, so that the patterned ink layer isvisible to the user through the glass button member. The backgroundlayer may be, for example, a layer of black ink.

The glass button member may be mounted to a base structure. The basestructure may include a plastic base layer. A layer of adhesive may beused to attach the glass button layer to the plastic base layer. Thelayer of adhesive may be interposed between the background layer of inkand the plastic base layer.

Protrusions or other portions of the plastic base layer may extend underedge portions of the cover glass. The cover glass edge portions may bearagainst the extensions in the plastic base, thereby capturing the buttonwithin the electronic device.

A dome switch or other switch mechanism may be coupled to the glassbutton member. As the glass button member reciprocates within theopening in the cover glass, the dome switch is activated. Processingcircuitry within the electronic device may sense the state of the domeswitch during operation.

In accordance with an embodiment, a button is provided that includes aglass button member having an exterior surface and a lower button membersurface, and at least one patterned layer of material on the lowerbutton member surface.

In accordance with another embodiment, a button is provided wherein theglass button member is clear and wherein the patterned layer of materialcomprises ink.

In accordance with another embodiment, a button is provided wherein theat least one patterned layer of material includes a first patternedlayer of ink on the lower button member surface, and a second layer ofink that covers the lower button member surface and that covers thefirst patterned layer of ink.

In accordance with another embodiment, a button is provided wherein thefirst patterned layer of ink and the second layer of ink have differentcolors.

In accordance with another embodiment, a button is provided wherein thefirst patterned layer of ink has a first color, wherein the second layerof ink has a second color, and wherein the first color is lighter thanthe second color.

In accordance with another embodiment, a button is provided wherein thefirst color is white and wherein the second color is black.

In accordance with another embodiment, a button is provided wherein theglass button member comprises a clear circular glass disk member andwherein the at least one layer of patterned material comprises apatterned first layer of ink on the lower button member surface and asecond layer of ink that covers substantially all of the patterned firstlayer of ink and that covers the lower button member surface.

In accordance with another embodiment, a button is provided wherein theglass button member comprises a disk with a chamfered edge, the buttonfurther comprising a dome switch attached to the glass button member.

In accordance with another embodiment, a button is provided that alsoincludes a base member to which the button member is attached with alayer of adhesive.

In accordance with another embodiment, a button is provided wherein theat least one layer of patterned material comprises first and secondlayers of ink of different colors interposed between the button memberand the layer of adhesive.

In accordance with an embodiment, a method of forming a button isprovided that includes forming a patterned layer of ink on an undersideof a transparent button member, wherein the patterned layer of ink has afirst color, and forming a background layer of ink coveringsubstantially all of the underside of the transparent button member andcovering the patterned layer of ink, wherein the background layer of inkhas a second color that is different than the first color.

In accordance with another embodiment, a method is provided wherein thefirst color is white, wherein the transparent button member comprises aclear glass disk, and wherein the second color is black, the methodfurther comprising attaching the button member to a base member.

In accordance with another embodiment, a method is provided wherein thebase member comprises a plastic member and wherein attaching the buttonmember to the base member comprises using adhesive to attach the buttonmember to the plastic member.

In accordance with another embodiment, a method is provided whereinusing the adhesive to attach the button member to the plastic membercomprises interposing a layer of adhesive between the background layerof ink and the plastic member.

In accordance with an embodiment, an electronic device is provided thatincludes a housing, a display in the housing, wherein the displaycomprises a layer of glass having an opening, and a glass button mountedin the opening.

In accordance with another embodiment, an electronic device is providedwherein the display comprises a touch screen display, wherein the glassbutton comprises a glass button member with an underside and a patternedlayer of ink that is formed on the underside.

In accordance with another embodiment, an electronic device is providedwherein the glass button further comprises a background layer of inkthat covers the patterned layer of ink.

In accordance with another embodiment, an electronic device is providedwherein the button further comprises a dome switch that is coupled tothe glass button member.

In accordance with another embodiment, an electronic device is providedwherein the patterned layer of ink comprises ink of a first color andwherein the background layer of ink comprises ink of a second color thatis different than the first color.

In accordance with another embodiment, an electronic device is providedwherein the button comprises a plastic base member to which the glassbutton member is attached using a layer of adhesive.

In accordance with these embodiments, buttons may be used in electronicdevices to control menu functions or other operations. The electronicdevices in which the buttons are used may be portable electronic devicessuch as laptop computers or small portable computers of the type thatare sometimes referred to as ultraportables. Portable electronic devicesmay also be somewhat smaller devices. Examples of smaller portableelectronic devices include wrist-watch devices, pendant devices,headphone and earpiece devices, and other wearable and miniaturedevices.

If desired, the electronic devices in which the buttons are provided maybe, for example, handheld wireless devices such as cellular telephones,media players with wireless communications capabilities, handheldcomputers (also sometimes called personal digital assistants), remotecontrollers, global positioning system (UPS) devices, and handheldgaming devices. The electronic devices may also be hybrid devices thatcombine the functionality of multiple conventional devices. Examples ofhybrid portable electronic devices include a cellular telephone thatincludes media player functionality, a gaming device that includeswireless communications capabilities, a cellular telephone that includesgame and email functions, and a portable device that receives email,supports mobile telephone calls, has music player functionality andsupports web browsing. These are merely illustrative examples.

An illustrative electronic device of the type that may be provided witha button is shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B. Device 10 of FIG. 2 may be, forexample, a handheld electronic device that supports 2G and/or 3Gcellular telephone and data functions, global positioning systemcapabilities, and local wireless communications capabilities (e.g., IEEE802.11 and Bluetooth®) and that supports handheld computing devicefunctions such as internet browsing, email and calendar functions,games, music player functionality, etc.

Device 10 may have housing 16. Housing 16, which is sometimes referredto as a case, may be formed of any suitable materials including,plastic, glass, ceramics, metal, or other suitable materials, or acombination of these materials. In some situations, housing 16 orportions of housing 16 may be formed from a dielectric or otherlow-conductivity material. Housing 16 or portions of housing 16 may alsobe formed from conductive materials such as metal.

Housing 16, which is sometimes referred to as a case, may be formed ofany suitable materials including, plastic, glass, ceramics, carbon-fibercomposites and other composites, metal, other suitable materials, or acombination of these materials. A unibody construction may be used fordevice 10 in which case some or all of housing 16 may be formed from asingle piece of material. Housing 16 may, for example, be formed from apiece of plastic or metal that covers the sidewalls of device 10 andthat covers the rear surface of device 10. Frame members and othercomponents may be mounted in the unibody housing. With anotherillustrative arrangement, housing 16 may be implemented using multiplestructures that are assembled together. For example, housing 16 may beformed from a central frame 5612 to which a front and/or rear panels5616 and 7632 are attached (as an example). In some cases, the frontand/or rear panels may include an outer transparent layer (e.g., coverglass). Other configurations may be used if desired. In one embodiment,the panels may be removable. For example, the rear panel may be detachedfrom the rest of the housing in order to provide internal access to theelectronic device. In one example, the rear panel is made to sliderelative to the rest of the housing between a closed position, enclosingthe device, and an open position, providing an opening.

A display such as display 7628 may be mounted in housing 16. Display7628 may, for example, be mounted on the front surface of device 10 asshown in FIG. 2. Display 7628 may be a liquid crystal display (LCD), anorganic light emitting diode (OLED) display, an electronic ink display,a plasma display, or any other suitable display. The outermost surfaceof display 7628 may be formed from a layer of glass 5616 (sometimesreferred to as the display's cover glass). Display 7628 may also haveinterior layers (e.g., a capacitive touch sensor array for providingdisplay 7628 with touch sensing capabilities, a layer of thin-filmtransistors for controlling the image pixels in the display, etc.).

Display 7628 may have a central active region such as active region 5617and inactive end regions such as regions 5621. To hide interior portionsof device 10 from view, the underside of display 7628 (e.g., the coverglass of the display) in inactive regions 5621 may be coated with anopaque substance such as black ink (as an example). An opening may beformed in one of regions 5621 to accommodate button 5619. An openingsuch as opening 5623 may also be formed in one of regions 5621 (e.g., toform a speaker port). The end portions of housing 16 may also beprovided with openings such as openings 5622 and 5624 for microphone andspeaker ports and opening 5620 for an input-output data port. A similarconfiguration can be provided for the rear panel whether or not anotherdisplay is used, i.e., the rear panel may be formed with a transparentmember with an opaque coating.

In one embodiment, device 10 may also include one or more cameras.Cameras may be implemented, for example, by mounting camera moduleswithin the housing of device 10. In one embodiment (as shown in FIG.2A), device 10 may include front-facing camera 26. Front facing camerasmay for example be mounted behind the front panel 5616 that coversdisplay 7628. Alternatively or additionally (as shown in FIG. 2B),device may include rear-facing camera 28. Rear facing cameras may bemounted in device 10 behind the rear panel 7632 of device 10. In othersuitable configurations, the housing of device 10 may be formed from aplastic or metal housing in which a transparent plastic or glass camerawindow structure has been mounted. In this type of arrangement, cameramodules may be mounted behind the window structure.

The device may include a variety of I/O components including for examplebuttons, connectors, jacks, receivers, speakers and/or the like. Button5619 may be used as a menu button. A user may press on button 5619 tonavigate through screens that are displayed on display 7628 or tocontrol other functions during the operation of device 10.

Button 5619 may be formed from any suitable material (e.g., plastic,glass, ceramic, metal, etc.). Particularly in arrangements in whichbutton 5619 is surrounded by glass such as the glass in region 5621 ofdisplay 7628, it may be desirable to form button 5619 at least partlyfrom glass. Using a glass layer to form the outermost surface of button5619 makes it possible to match the appearance and feel of button 5619to the appearance and feel of the display cover glass in region 5621. Aglass surface layer on button 5619 may also help button 5619 resistscratching. Any suitable glass material may be used in forming button5619 (e.g., soda lime glass, borosilicate glass, etc.). Glass-likeplastic (e.g., transparent polycarbonate or other materials) may also beused to form button 5619 if desired.

A cross-sectional side view of a conventional cellular telephone menubutton is shown in FIG. 3. As shown in FIG. 3, conventional button 5630may have a clear plastic upper button member 5632 that is attached to ablack lower button member 5634. White ink 5638 may be formed on thebackside of member 5634. Opening 5636 in button member 5634 may allowwhite ink 5638 to be viewed in direction 5640 (i.e., from the exteriorof the cellular telephone). Opening 5636 is square when viewed fromdirection 5640.

A button of the type that may be used to implement button 5619 fordevice 10 of FIG. 2 is shown in FIG. 4. As shown in FIG. 4, button 5619may be formed from a glass button member such as button member 5650.Button member 5650 may have a circular outline or other suitable shape(e.g., rectangular, etc.). Button member 5650 may have a planar uppersurface such as surface 5644 in which a recessed (concave) dimple suchas dimple 5646 is formed. Button member 5650 may have sidewalls such asvertical sidewalls 5642. An optional chamfer such as chamfer 5648 may beprovided around the outer edge of member 5650 to ensure that the edge ofmember 5650 at which surface 5644 meets sidewall 5642 is not too abrupt.Chamfer 5648 may be oriented at an angle of 45° or other suitable anglein the range of 30-60° with respect to vertical sidewall 5642.

As shown in FIG. 5, button 5619 may have a base member such as basemember 5652 to which glass button member 5650 is attached. Glass buttonmember 5650 may have the shape of a disk (e.g., a circular disk). Basemember 5652 may have an outline that is larger than the outline of glassbutton member 5650. The central portion of base member 5652 may have asubstantially circular shape to accommodate the outline of glass buttonmember 5650. Side portions of base member 5652 may have protrusions thathelp orient button 5619 within device 10 (e.g., by fixing the rotationalorientation of button 5619).

The underside (lower planar surface 5662) of button member 5650 may beprovided with one or more patterned layers of material. For example,multiple coats of patterned ink may be formed on the lower surface ofbutton member 5650. Layers of ink may be formed adjacent to one another(i.e., on different portions of lower surface 5662) and/or on top ofeach other).

In the example of FIG. 5, two layers of ink have been formed on lowersurface 5662 of button member 5650. First ink layer 5656 may be formeddirectly on lower surface 5662. Second ink layer 5658 may be used tocover the portions of lower surface 5662 that are not covered by firstink layer 5656 and may be used to cover ink layer 5656. First ink layer5656 may have a pattern such as a square (i.e., a square with an opencenter), a solid square, other solid shapes, a circular or oval ring, aletter or icon shape, etc. Second ink layer 5658 may be a solidbackground layer that covers substantially all of lower surface 5662.

When multiple layers of ink are formed on button member 5650 in thisway, different ink colors may be used for each layer. For example, inklayer 5656 may be formed from a white ink or other lightly colored ink,whereas ink layer 5658 may be formed from a black ink or other darklycolored ink. Other combinations of colors may be used if desired. Forexample, first ink layer 5656 may be black or may have another darkcolor, whereas second ink layer 5658 may be white or may have anotherlight color. By using contrasting colors in this way, the pattern thatis formed by first ink layer 5656 may be visible against solidbackground layer 5658.

If desired, first and second patterned materials 5656 and 5658 may beformed from metal, plastic, fibers, particles, paint, combinations ofthese substances, and other suitable substances. The use of ink for thelayers of patterned material that are formed on the underside of buttonmember 5650 is merely illustrative.

Member 5650 may be formed from clear (transparent) glass. This allows auser of device 10 to view the pattern formed by ink 5656 through member5650 when observing button 5619 in direction 5654. If desired, member5650 may be formed from a semi-opaque or opaque substance (e.g., frostedglass, smoked or colored glass, black glass, etc.). When member 5650 isat least partly transparent, the pattern of ink 5656 may be viewed. Whenmember 5650 is opaque, ink layers 5656 and 5658 may be omitted (ifdesired).

Member 5650 may be attached to one or more underlying structures. Forexample, member 5650 may be attached to base layer 5652 using adhesivelayer 5660. Adhesive 5660 may be, for example, a layer of pressuresensitive adhesive or an adhesive such as ultraviolet-cured or thermallycured epoxy. Other adhesives or attachments mechanisms (e.g., press-fitschemes, springs, clips, etc.) may also be used in attaching buttonmember 5650 to base members such as base member 5652 if desired.

A cross-sectional view of button 5619 in electronic device 10 of FIG. 2is shown in FIG. 6. As shown in FIG. 6, base member 5652 may haveportions 5664 that extend under protruding edge portions 5666 of displaycover glass 5621. Edge portions 5666 capture button 5619 and preventbutton 5619 from falling out of device 10. Portions 5664 and portions5666 may extend around the entire circular periphery of button member5650 or may be formed around only part of the button periphery. Anasymmetric shape may be used for portions 5664 and a mating asymmetricshape may be used by the surrounding structures in device 10 to ensurethat button 5619 can only be placed in device 10 in a particularorientation. Base 5652 may, for example, have one narrow protrudingportion 5664 and one wide protruding portion 5666, that mate withcorresponding structures in device 10, such as structures 5668.

Structures 5668 may be formed from one or more internal members indevice 10, such as frame members, display portions, printed circuitboards, flexible printed circuits boards (“flex circuits”), electricalcomponents, or other suitable structures. These structures are shown asstructure 5668 in the example of FIG. 6.

A dome switch such as switch 5672 or other switch mechanism may becoupled to button 5619. Dome switch 5672 may be placed in an uprightorientation, or, as shown in FIG. 6, may be inverted so that nub 5674bears downwards against surface 5676 of structure 5668. A flex circuitsuch as flex circuit 5670 may contain conductive traces that form switchterminals for dome switch 5672. The inner surface of the dome membraneportion of dome switch 5672 may be coated with metal. When button member5650 is pressed downwards in direction 5654, dome switch 5672 iscompressed between button member 5650 and interior device structures5668. This causes the metal inner surface of the dome switch to form ashort circuit between the dome switch terminals, thereby closing theswitch. Conductive traces in flex circuit 5670 may route switch signalsto processing circuitry in device 10. The processing circuitry canmonitor the state of the switch using the conductive traces. When theprocessing circuitry senses that the state of the dome switch haschanged, appropriate actions may be taken. For example, differentinformation may be displayed on screen 7628, functions can be turned onor off, etc.

Illustrative steps involved in forming a button such as button 5619 areshown in FIG. 7.

At step 5678, a first layer of patterned ink such as patterned ink 5656of FIG. 5 may be formed on the lower surface of button member 5650. Anysuitable technique may be used to form the first ink layer. For example,the ink layer may be formed by pad printing, screen printing, dripping,spraying, brush painting, etc.

At step 5680, the second layer of ink may be formed on the lower surfaceof button member 5650. For example, a patterned layer or a blanketbackground layer such as layer 5658 of FIG. 5 may be formed oversubstantially all of the underside of button member 5650, includingfirst ink layer 5656 and any other previously deposited ink patterns.

Ink layers 5656 and 5658 may be formed from inks of different colorsshades), paint of different colors, plastics, metals, or other materialswith different optical properties, etc.

At step 5682, an optical alignment tool may be used to visually alignbutton member 5650 and base layer 5652. For example, a visual image ofbutton member 5650 and base layer 5652 may be captured using a digitalcamera. The visual image may be processed using a computer or may beexamined manually while the angular and translational orientation ofbutton member 5650 relative to base layer 5652 are adjusted usingmanually and/or automatically controlled rotation and translationstages.

Once aligned, button member 5650 may be attached to base layer 5652 toform button 5619 using a layer of pressure sensitive adhesive at step5684 (e.g., by pressing these structures together using an assembly toolor moving portions of the alignment tool).

At step 5686, button member 5650, base layer 5652, and dome switch 5672may be assembled within device 10, as described in connection with FIG.6.

Electronic devices such as cellular telephones often contain componentssuch as vibrators, switches, microphones, and audio jacks. Because ofsize and performance constraints, it can be challenging to mount thesecomponents within the confines of a device housing. If care is nottaken, it may not be possible to use desired materials or to providedesired levels of performance within a device housing of a given size.In conventional device arrangements, components are sometimesconstructed in a way that compromises performance or that uses morespace than necessary. While such conventional arrangements can be usedto produce an operational device, the compromises that are made in usingthese arrangements can result in devices with poor aesthetics,suboptimal performance, and unnecessary device bulk.

It would therefore be desirable to be able to provide improvedelectronic device components and mounting arrangements for thesecomponents.

In accordance with one embodiment, an electronic device may be providedwith a housing having housing sidewalls. A housing structure such as aplate may be connected to the housing sidewalls. Ports such as ports foran audio jack and a microphone may be formed in the housing sidewalls.

An audio jack may be mounted to the housing plate adjacent to the audiojack port. A microphone may be mounted between the audio jack and thehousing sidewall. A biasing structure such as a layer of compressed foammay be interposed between the audio jack and the microphone to bias themicrophone against the housing sidewall in the vicinity of themicrophone port.

A vibrator may be mounted between one of the sidewalls and the audiojack using a bracket. The vibrator may have a weight that is taperedalong its length.

A button may be formed in a button opening in one of the housingsidewalls. The button may have a button member with a protrusion thatextends through the button opening in the sidewall. A support structuremay be interposed between a switch and the button member. The switch mayhave a portion that extends through an opening in the support structure.This portion of the switch may be received within the button member, sothat the switch can be actuated by moving the button member within thebutton opening. A lubricating coating may be formed between the buttonmember and the housing sidewall.

In accordance with an embodiment, an apparatus is provided that includesan electronic device housing structure having an opening, a buttonmember having a protrusion that protrudes through the opening, whereinthe electronic device housing structure has a first wall portion thatlies above the button member and a second wall portion, and alubricating coating interposed between the button member and the secondwall portion, wherein the first wall portion has a thickness that issmaller than the second wall portion.

In accordance with another embodiment, an apparatus is provided whereinthe button member includes metal and wherein the electronic devicehousing structure includes a metal electronic device housing wallthrough which the opening is formed.

In accordance with another embodiment, an apparatus is provided thatalso includes a visual indicator on the button member, wherein thebutton member is movable between a first position in which the visualindicator is visible through the opening and a second position in whichthe visual indicator is covered by the first wall portion withouttouching the first wall portion.

In accordance with another embodiment, an apparatus is provided whereinthe visual indicator includes a patch of ink.

In accordance with an embodiment, an electronic device is provided thatincludes housing structures, an audio jack mounted in the housingstructures, and a microphone interposed between the audio jack and thehousing structures.

In accordance with another embodiment, an electronic device is providedwherein the housing structures include a housing wall with a microphoneport opening, the electronic device further including a layer ofcompressed foam interposed between the microphone and the audio jack,wherein the layer of compressed foam biases the microphone toward thehousing wall at the microphone port opening,

In accordance with another embodiment, an electronic device is providedthat also includes a vibrator mounted to the audio jack.

In accordance with another embodiment, an electronic device is providedthat also includes at least one bracket with which the vibrator ismounted to the audio jack.

In accordance with another embodiment, an electronic device is providedwherein the vibrator includes a tapered weight.

In accordance with another embodiment, an electronic device is providedwherein the vibrator includes a shaft to which the tapered weight isattached, wherein the shaft has a tip, wherein the tapered weight has asurface that is radially closer to the shaft at the tip than at otherportions of the shaft.

In accordance with another embodiment, an electronic device is providedwherein at least part of the tapered weight has a conical surface.

In accordance with another embodiment, an electronic device is providedwherein the tapered weight has multiple sections each of which has acylindrical surface having a different radial distance from the shaft.

In accordance with an embodiment, an apparatus is provided that includesa vibrator motor for a vibrator, a shaft for the vibrator that isrotated by the vibrator motor, wherein the shaft has a rotational axis,and a weight for the vibrator that is rotationally asymmetric and thatis tapered along the rotational axis.

In accordance with another embodiment, an apparatus is provided thatalso includes electronic device housing structures, and a member withwhich the vibrator motor is mounted to the electronic device housingstructures.

In accordance with another embodiment, an apparatus is provided whereinthe electronic device housing structures include a housing wall to whichthe member is attached, the apparatus also including an audio jack towhich the member is attached.

In accordance with another embodiment, an apparatus is provided alsoincluding a microphone interposed between the audio jack and the housingwall.

In accordance with another embodiment, an apparatus is provided thatalso includes a layer of compressed foam interposed between themicrophone and the audio jack, wherein the layer of compressed foambiases the microphone toward the housing wall at a microphone portopening in the housing wall.

In accordance with another embodiment, an apparatus is provided whereinthe shaft has a tip, wherein the tapered weight has a surface that isradially closer to the shaft at the tip than at other portions of theshaft.

In accordance with another embodiment, an apparatus is provided whereinat least part of the tapered weight has a conical surface.

In accordance with another embodiment, an apparatus is provided whereinthe tapered weight has multiple sections each of which has a cylindricalsurface having a different radial distance from the shaft.

In accordance with an embodiment, an apparatus is provided that includesan electronic device housing wall having an opening, a button memberthat has a protrusion that protrudes through the opening, a switch thatis actuated by the button member, and a support structure to which theswitch is mounted, wherein the support structure is interposed betweenthe switch and the button member.

In accordance with another embodiment, an apparatus is provided whereinthe support structure has an opening and wherein the switch has aportion that extends through the opening in the support structure andthat is actuated by the button member.

In accordance with another embodiment, an apparatus is provided whereinthe support structure includes a bracket that is connected to thehousing wall.

In accordance with another embodiment, an apparatus is provided thatalso includes a flexible printed circuit, wherein the flexible printedcircuit is interposed between the switch and the bracket.

In accordance with another embodiment, an apparatus is provided whereinthe button member and the housing sidewall are formed from metal andwherein the apparatus further includes a lubricating coating interposedbetween the button member and the housing sidewall.

In accordance with these embodiments, electronic devices containnumerous components. Examples of components that are included inelectronic devices include buttons, audio jacks, vibrators, andmicrophones. Buttons are used as user input devices. Examples offunctions that may be controlled using a button include power functions,ring/vibrator settings for a cellular telephone, volume settings, menubutton operation, etc. Audio jacks can be used to receive mating plugsfrom external accessories. For example, an audio jack may have acylindrical opening that receives an audio plug on a headset. Vibratorsmay be used to provide haptic feedback on a touch screen, to alert auser to an incoming cellular telephone call, to indicate the presence ofan alarm, etc. Microphones may be used to gather audio input. Forexample, microphones may be used to record voice memos or to captureother audio clips, to gather ambient noise information in an electronicdevice that has noise cancellation functions, to monitor a user's voiceduring a telephone call, etc.

Components such as these may be used in cellular telephones and otherelectronic devices. For example, components such as these may be used inelectronic devices such as cameras, handheld computers, tabletcomputers, computers integrated into computer monitor housings, laptopcomputers, set-top boxes, gaming devices, wrist watch devices, pendantdevices, etc. With one suitable configuration, the components may bepart of relatively compact electronic devices such as portableelectronic devices.

One embodiment of device 10 is shown in FIG. 8. As shown in FIG. 8,portable electronic device 10 may include a device housing such asdevice housing 5812. Display 5814 may be mounted to the front face ofhousing 5812.

Openings in the cover glass layer 5616 may be provided for button 5619and speaker port 5623. Openings in housing sidewall 5812 may be providedfor microphones, speakers, input-output connectors, etc. As shown inFIG. 8, for example, housing 5812 may have a circular opening that formsaudio jack port 5820 and an opening such as opening 5822 that forms amicrophone port.

The buttons in device 10 may be push buttons, toggling switches,momentary sliding buttons, rocker switches, or any other suitable typesof buttons. As an example, buttons 5619 and 5824 may be momentary pushbuttons. Button 5826 may be, as an example, a two-position button thattoggles in directions 5828. In a first of its two positions, button 5826may be closed. In a second of its two positions, button 5826 may beopen. If desired, buttons of this type may be provided with three ormore positions or may be implemented using a momentary switch design.Button 5834 may be, for example, a rocker switch. A user may press onportion 58P1 or portion 58P2 on the surface of button 5834. When theuser presses portion 58P1, button 5834 rotates around axis 5832 indirection 5830A and actuates a first switch. When the user pressesportion 58P2, button 5834 rotates around axis 5832 in direction 5830Band actuates a second switch. Button 5834 may, if desired, be amomentary button (i.e., a button that is spring-loaded to return to itsnominal position in the absence of user input).

Any suitable functions may be controlled by the buttons of device 10.For example, button 5619 may serve as a menu button. Button 5824 mayserve as a power (sleep) button. Button 5826 may serve as a cellulartelephone ring mode button (e.g., toggling between a vibrate mode and aring mode). Button 5834 may be used to adjust ring volume and speakervolume settings. Other arrangements may be used if desired. Theseillustrative button assignments are merely examples.

A cross-sectional side view of device 10 of FIG. 8 is shown in FIG. 9.As shown in FIG. 9, housing 58112 may include sidewall structures suchas housing sidewall structures 58112A and 5812B. Housing 5812 may, forexample, have upper, lower, left, and right sidewalls (i.e., fourperipheral sidewalk associated with the four edges that run along theperiphery of a rectangular housing). In this type of arrangement, thehousing sidewalls can be formed from a band-shaped peripheral memberthat surrounds device 10. Housing sidewall structure 5812A maycorrespond to a left-hand sidewall and housing sidewall structure 5812Bmay correspond to a right-hand sidewall. Housing member 5812C, which maybe implemented using a plate or other hinge structure, may be used toconnect and support sidewall structures 5812A and 5812B. Plate 5812C maybe formed from a planar metal member having a left edge welded orotherwise attached to left sidewall 5812A and a right edge welded orotherwise attached to right sidewall 5812B. There may be one or morestructures such as plate 5812C in device 10.

As shown in FIG. 9, the front surface of device 10 may be occupied bydisplay 5814. Display 5814 may be formed using a touch screen display orother suitable display. Display 5814 may be mounted to housing 5812using gaskets, plastic frame members, or other suitable attachmentmechanism. The rear surface of device 10 may be occupied by housinglayer 5812D. Layer 5812D may be formed from metal, glass, ceramic,composites, plastic, other materials, or combinations of thesematerials. As an example, layer 5812D may be formed from a planar glasslayer. If desired, layer 5812D may be formed from part of a display(e.g., a cover glass for a rear-facing display that complements display5814 on the front surface of device 10). Passive arrangements in whichlayer 5812D is formed from a piece of plastic or glass may also be used.Layer 5812D may be formed from a separate layer of material that hasbeen attached to the sidewalls of housing 5812 or may be formed as anintegral portion of housing 5812 (e.g., as a unibody housing in whichthe housing sidewalk have been formed from the same piece of material aslayer 5812D).

Components such as components 5836 may be mounted to printed circuitboards such as printed circuit boards 5838. Printed circuit boards 5838may be mounted to housing structure 5812D as shown in FIG. 9 or may bemounted within the housing of device 10 using other suitablearrangements. There are two printed circuit boards 5838 in the exampleof FIG. 9. This is merely illustrative. Any suitable number ofcomponents 5836 may be mounted within device 10 using any suitablenumber of printed circuit boards 5838. Printed circuit boards 5838 maybe formed from rigid printed circuit board substrates (e.g., rigidsubstrates of epoxy or fiberglass-filled epoxy), flexible printedcircuits (e.g., flex circuits formed from thin layers of polymer such assheets of polyimide), or other suitable substrates.

A top (front) view of the interior of device 10 is shown in FIG. 10. Asshown in FIG. 10, device 10 may have an audio jack such as audio jack5840. Audio jack 5840 may be attached to housing member 5812C usingscrews 5842 or other fastening mechanisms (e.g., adhesive, welds,solder, etc.). Audio jack 5840 may include a cylindrical cavity such ascavity 5848. Cavity 5848 may have a circular opening that is alignedwith a circular opening in housing 5812 (i.e., the opening in housing5812 that forms audio jack port 5820 of FIG. 8). The housing of audiojack 5840 may be formed from plastic, metal, or other suitablematerials.

Device 10 may have an opening such as opening 5822 that forms microphoneport. Opening 5822 may be covered with layers of screen material (e.g.,an outer layer of metal mesh and an inner layer of plastic mesh).Microphone 5846 may be mounted at opening 5822. Microphone 5846, whichis sometimes referred to as a microphone unit or microphone module, maybe a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) microphone that is housed ina plastic or metal housing (as an example). The microphone housing mayhave an opening that is aligned with opening 5822 in housing 5812. Abiasing member such as foam pad layer 5844 may be mounted betweensurface 5852 of audio jack 5840 and surface 5854 of microphone 5846.Foam pad layer 5844 may be compressed. As a result, foam pad layer 5844may generate a restoring force that biases microphone 5846 againstopening 5822 in housing 5812. This creates a seal around opening 5822and ensures that foreign objects do not intrude into the interior ofdevice 10.

With an arrangement of the type shown in FIG. 10, the housing of audiojack 5840 is used in mounting microphone 5846 in device 10. If desired,other components may be mounted in device 10 using audio jack 5840(e.g., speaker modules, additional microphone modules, input-outputconnectors, circuit assemblies, sensors, batteries, etc.). The use ofaudio jack 5840 to mount microphone 5846 is merely an example.

A more detailed view showing how microphone 5846 may be mounted usingaudio jack 5840 is shown in FIG. 11. As shown in FIG. 11, microphone5846 may be biased against housing 5812 using compressed foam layer5844. Foam layer 5860 may be interposed between microphone 5846 andhousing 5812 to provide sealing between microphone 5846 and housing5812. Microphone 5846 may have an associated printed circuit board suchas printed circuit board 5862. Circuitry on printed circuit board 5862may be used in processing microphone signals. A communications path suchas a bus formed from conductive traces on flexible printed circuit(“flex circuit”) 5858 may be used to route signals from microphone 5846to circuitry on one of printed circuit boards 5838 (FIG. 9). Layers ofadhesive 5856 may be used in attaching housing 5812, foam 5860, flexcircuit 5858, printed circuit board 5862, the housing for microphone5846, foam 5844, and audio jack 5840.

A cross-sectional side view of a conventional button in a cellulartelephone is shown in FIG. 12. As shown in FIG. 12, button 5884 hasbutton member 5866. Button member 5866 is formed from metal andprotrudes through opening 5886 in plastic housing sidewall 5864. Switch5874 has protrusion 5878. Protrusion 5878 is received in recess 5874 ofbutton member 5866. A user can move button member 5866 back and forth indirections 5868 to turn switch 5882 on or off. As the user moves buttonmember 5866, switch member 5866 engages switch protrusion 5878 andactuates switch 5874.

Switch 5874 is mounted to bracket 5870 using heat stakes 5872. Flexcircuit 5888 has traces that are electrically connected to the switchterminals of switch 5874. Bracket 5870 is connected to housing 5864, sothat bracket 5870 does not move during operation of switch 5874. Bracketextensions 5876 help prevent button member 5866 from pressingexcessively against switch 5874. Nevertheless, the user activity that isinvolved in operating button 5884 may impart inward force on member 5866that can undesirably load and potentially damage switch 5874.

A button such as button 5826 of device 10 of FIG. 8 is shown in thecross-sectional view of FIG. 13. As shown in FIG. 13, button 5826 mayhave a button member such as button member 5890. Button member 5890 mayhave a protruding portion such as portion 5891 that extends throughopening 58100 in housing wall 5812. Button member 5890 may have a recesssuch as recess 58102 that receives a corresponding protruding switchmember such as switch member 581.04. When button member 5890 is movedback and forth in directions 58112, switch member 58104 is likewisemoved hack and forth in directions 58112, thereby actuating switch58106.

A support structure such as bracket 58114 may be interposed between themain body of switch 58106 and button member 5890. Switch 58106 may bemounted to bracket 58114 using heat stakes 58108 on switch 58106. Withthis arrangement, inward pressure on button member 5890 in direction58116 will cause inner surface 58118 of button member 5890 to pressagainst outermost surface 58120 of bracket 58114, but will not loadswitch 58106.

Bracket 58114 may be connected to housing 5812 using portions 58134,using bracket structures of other shapes, or using intermediatestructures (i.e., structures that are connected between bracket 58114and housing 5812). Bracket 58114 may be formed from metal and may beattached to housing 5812 using welds. If desired, other mechanisms mayalso be used to attach bracket 58114 and housing 5812 such as solder,screws or other fasteners, adhesive, etc.

Because surface 58118 bears against surface 58120, the presence ofbracket 58114 adjacent to button member 5890 can help protect switchmember 58104 and the rest of switch 58106 from undesirable inward forcesin direction 58116 when a user operates button member 5890. Switch 58106may be electrically connected to traces in flex circuit 58122. Flexcircuit 58122 may have one end that is electrically connected to switch58106 and another end that is electrically connected to one of printedcircuit boards 5838 (as an example). To accommodate the movement ofprotruding switch member 58104 in directions 58112, flex circuit 58122may be provided with opening 58124 and bracket 58114 may be providedwith opening 58126.

Button member 5890 and housing 5812 may be formed from metal or othersuitable materials. If desired, a lubricating coating such aslubricating coating 58128 may be formed between button member surface58130 and housing surface 58132. Coating 58128 may be formed frompolytetrafluoroethylene or other fluorocarbon materials, graphite,grease, polyurethane, or other slippery coatings. The presence ofcoatings such as coating 58128 may help prevent binding between themetal surfaces of button member 5890 and housing 5812 during operationof button 5826. If desired, portions of housing 5812 over surface 58130may be recessed (see, e.g., FIG. 12).

It may be desirable to provide device 10 with vibrator functionality. Avibrator may be used to vibrate housing 5812 and device 10 when anincoming cellular telephone call is received, when an alarm istriggered, as part of a haptic feedback arrangement for a touch screen,etc.

An illustrative vibrator that may be used in device 10 is shown in FIG.14. As shown in FIG. 14, vibrator 58146 may have a main body such asbody 58136. Weight 58138 may be mounted to shaft 58140. Weight 58138 maybe formed from metal or other suitable materials. Body 58136 may containa motor that rotates shaft 58140 and thereby causes weight 58138 torotate in direction 58144 about rotational axis 58142 of shaft 58140.The mass of weight 58138 is asymmetrically distributed about shaft 58140and rotational axis 58142, so that when weight 58138 rotates, vibratormotor housing 58136 and the housing of device 10 in which vibrator 58146is mounted vibrate.

Weight 58138 may have a tapered shape along length of rotational axis58142. At the end of shaft 58140 that is adjacent to motor 58136, weight58138 may have a relatively larger shape (i.e., the radial distance tothe outer portions and surface of weight 58138 may be relatively large).At the far end of shaft 58140, away from motor 58136, weight 58138 mayhave a relatively smaller shape (i.e., the radial distance to the outerportions and surface of weight 58138 may be relatively small). This typeof arrangement in which the radial distance from the shaft to thesurface of the weight diminishes with increasing distance along theshaft, allows components and housing structures in device 10 to bemounted in the open space near the tapered end portion of weight 58138.

If desired, weight 58138 may have a segmented structure as shown in FIG.15. With this type of arrangement, the taper in the weight is achievedby using a larger weight structure such as weight structure 58138A inthe vicinity of motor housing 58136 and using a smaller weight structuresuch as weight structure 58138B at the tip of shaft 58140. In thisexample, tapered weight 58138 is formed from two half cylinders. Ifdesired, more half cylinders (e.g., three or more) or other rotationallyasymmetric weight structures of different sizes may be used,

Top views of illustrative tapered-weight configurations that may be usedfor vibrator 58146 are shown in FIGS. 16 and 17. As shown in FIG. 16,tapered weight 58138 has a larger size near motor 58136 than near theexposed tip of shaft 58140. At a given radial distance from shaft 58140such as radius R1, portions of weight 58138 are present at point A (nearthe motor), but are absent at point B (near the tip of shaft 58140).This makes is possible to mount component 5836 within radius R1 of shaft58140 near the tip of shaft 58140 (i.e., at point C). Similarly, thetwo-radius weight arrangement of FIG. 17 allows component 5836 to bemounted within radius R1 of shaft 58140 near the tip of shaft 58140(i.e., at point C).

FIG. 18 shows how vibrator 58146 may be mounted to a member such asbracket 58150. Bracket 58150 may be mounted to housing 5812 using screw58148. Bracket 58150 may be mounted to audio jack 5840 using screw58154. Housing 5812 may be provided with a threaded boss or otherportion such as portion 58156 to receive threaded screw 58148. Portion58156 may be formed as an integral part of housing 5812 or may be formedfrom a bracket or other structure that is attached to housing 5812.Audio jack 5840 may be provided with a threaded bore that receives thethreads of screw 58154. If desired, bracket 58150 and vibrator 58146 maybe mounted to housing structure 5812 and audio jack 5840 using otherattachment mechanisms (e.g., welds, solder, adhesive, other fasteners,brackets, clips, springs, foam, press-fit members, etc.). The use offasteners such as screws 58148 and 58154 is merely illustrative. Asshown by connection 58152, vibrator 58146 may be connected to bracket58150 using welds, solder, adhesive, screws or other fasteners, clips,springs, foam, press-fit members, etc,

A perspective view of a button of the type shown in FIG. 13 that hasbeen formed in a sidewall of housing 5812 is shown in FIG. 19. As shownin FIG. 19, housing 5812 may have an opening that allows button member589( )of button 5826 to move up and down in directions 58160 and 58162.A visual indicator such as colored ink patch 58158 may be provided onbutton member surface 58130. When button member 589( )is moved indirection 581.60, indicator patch 58158 is visible and may be viewedthrough opening 58100. When button member 5890 is moved in direction58162, indicator patch 58158 is hidden from view, as shown in FIG. 20.

As shown in the cross-sectional side view of FIG. 21, the portion ofhousing 5812 that is nearest the protruding portion of button member5890 (i.e., portion 58166) may have thickness T2, whereas the portion ofhousing 58112 that is farther from the protruding portion of buttonmember 5890 may have thickness T1. Thickness T1 and the thickness oflubricating coating 58128 may be collectively thicker than thickness T2,so that that housing portion 58166 will be offset from surface 58130 ofbutton member 5890. This ensures that ink layer 58158 will lie at adistance D below inner surface 5813213 of housing 5812 and therebyensures that ink 58158 will not be scratched or otherwise damaged bylower surface 58132B. Distance D may be, for example, 0.05 mm, 0.1 mm,more than 0.1 mm, etc. Lubricating coating 58128 may be formed from aslippery material such as polytetrafluoroethylene or other fluorocarbonmaterials, graphite, grease, polyurethane, etc. Coating 58128 may helpensure that surface 58130 of button member 5890 (e.g., a metal buttonmember) and surface 58132A of housing structure 5812 (e.g., a metalhousing wall) are characterized by low amounts of friction. This allowsbutton 5826 to be actuated by a user without excess force.

Any suitable technique may be used to form coatings such as coating58128. For example, coating 58128 may be deposited using physical vapordeposition, powder coating (e.g., using heat treatment), pad printing,screen printing, ink-jet printing, spraying, dipping, etc. A plasticcoating may be provided on a metal member such as a metal button memberor a portion of a metal housing injection molding or compression molding(e.g., by insert molding a plastic coating surface around a metal buttonor housing member, etc.). These techniques or other techniques may beused in forming coating 58128 between button member 5890 and housingstructure 5812.

It can be difficult to design antennas that fit within the confines of aportable electronic device such as a cellular telephone while exhibitingsatisfactory performance.

It would be desirable to be able to provide improved antenna structuresfor electronic devices.

Structures in an electronic device (e.g., device 10 of FIG. 1) such asportions of a button may be provided with conductive features that formportions of an antenna. The conductive features may include sheet metalinserts and conductive traces that are formed directly on plastic parts.With one suitable arrangement, a button support member may be providedwith a metal trace and a sheet metal insert. A dome switch may bemounted on the button support member. When a button member in the buttonis pressed, the inner surface of the button compresses the dome switch.

According to an embodiment, an apparatus is provided that includes abutton support member having a surface that has at least somelaser-activated portions, and a conductive antenna trace formed directlyon the surface.

According to another embodiment, an apparatus is provided that alsoincludes housing sidewalls that are electrically connected to theconductive antenna trace.

According to another embodiment, an apparatus is provided that alsoincludes a spring that electrically connects the conductive antennatrace to the housing sidewalk.

According to another embodiment, an apparatus is provided that alsoincludes a conductive antenna structure on the button support memberthat is formed from a sheet of metal.

According to another embodiment, an apparatus is provided that alsoincludes a dome switch mounted on the button support member.

According to another embodiment, an apparatus is provided that soincludes a button member that bears against the dome switch.

According to another embodiment, an apparatus is provided that alsoincludes conductive housing structures that are electrically connectedto the conductive antenna trace, wherein the conductive housingstructures have an opening and wherein the button member reciprocateswithin the opening.

According to these embodiments, an electronic device such as device 10of FIG. 1 may be provided with an antenna. The antenna may be a patchantenna, a planar inverted-F antenna, an inverted-F antenna, a loopantenna, a monopole antenna, a dipole antenna, a helical antenna, or anyother suitable antenna. Conductive portions of the antenna (antennaconductors) may be formed from strips of metal, patterned pieces ofmetal (e.g., patterned metal sheets), wires, traces on rigid andflexible printed circuit boards, metal that is formed on dielectricsupports such as plastic supports, or other conductive structures thatcarry radio-frequency antenna signals.

If desired, space may be conserved by forming at least some portions ofthese conductive structures on a plastic support structure such as abutton support.

An illustrative electronic device (e.g., device 10 of FIG. 1) thatincludes a button with antenna traces is shown in FIG. 22. As shown inFIG. 22, button 7210 may have a button member such as button member7214. Button member 7214 may be mounted in opening 7224 in housingstructures 7222. Housing structures 7222 may be metal housing sidewalls.If desired, metal housing sidewalls 7222 may form part of an antenna(i.e., metal housing sidewalls 7222 may be antenna conductors).

Antenna conductors for an antenna in the electronic device may also beformed from metal members on a support structure such as button support7240. For example, metal structure 7238 and metal structure 7232 may beantenna conductors that are supported by button support 7240. Becausebutton support 7240 serves as a support for dome switch 7220 in button7210 while simultaneously serving as a support for antenna conductorssuch as conductors 7232 and 7238, space is conserved,

During operation of button 7210, button member 7214 may be pressedinwards so that inner button member surface 7216 presses against tip7218 of dome switch 7220. This compresses and electrically closes domeswitch 7220. Dome switch 7220 may be mounted on a flexible printedcircuit (“flex circuit”) that is supported on button support 7240.

Button support 7240 may be attached to housing structures 7222 usingfasteners such as screws 7230. These screws may pass through openings7228 in button support 7240 and may screw into threaded bores 7226 inhousing structures 7222. This type of arrangement or other mountingarrangement may be used to hold button support 7240 in a fixed positionrelative to housing structure 7222.

Antenna conductor 7238 may be formed from a sheet of metal that isattached to button support 7240 (e.g., using adhesive). If desired,antenna conductor 7238 may be formed from a metal trace that is formeddirectly on button support 7240, a part of a flex circuit, or othersuitable conductive structures. Antenna conductor 7238 may beelectrically connected to other structures using screws 7230 (e.g., tohousing structures 7222). Antenna conductor 7232 may be electricallyconnected to housing structure 7222 via spring 7234, which is welded tohousing structures 7222 by welds 7236 (e.g., to form part of a loopantenna).

Button support 7240 may be formed from a dielectric such as plastic.Antenna conductor 7232 may be formed from a trace of metal that ispatterned directly on the surface of support 7240.

The pattern of antenna conductor 7232 (and, if desired, the pattern ofantenna conductor 7238) may be formed by using a plastic member forsupport 7240 that has portions that are selectively activated byexposure to laser light. The plastic for support 7240 may be, forexample, a thermoplastic that has an organo-metallic additive that issensitive to light at the wavelengths produced by a laser. An antennaconductor pattern may be imposed on the plastic of support structure7240 by exposing the plastic to laser light only in areas in whichconductive antenna structures are desired. After exposing desiredportions of the plastic to laser light to activate those portions, theplastic may be plated with a suitable conductor such as copper. Duringplating operations, the laser-activated portions of the plastic attractthe plating conductor (e.g., copper), thereby forming conductive antennatrace 7232 directly on plastic support member 7240. Techniques in whichlaser light is used to imprint a desired plating pattern on a plasticsupport are sometimes referred to as laser direct structuring (LDS)techniques.

In general, conductive antenna structures such a structures 7238 and7232 may be formed on any suitable support structure. The foregoingexamples, in which conductive antenna structure are formed by coatingplastic button support structures with a patterns of metal (e.g., byplating) is merely illustrative.

FIG. 23 is a perspective view showing how button 7210 and button member7214 may be formed along one of the sides of an electronic device (i.e.,in an opening in housing sidewalls 7222).

Electronic devices such as portable electronic devices often havebuttons. Buttons may protrude from a device housing. :A user may operatea button by pressing on the button,

It is sometimes desirable to form portions of a device housing frommetal. Care must be taken, however, to ensure that the metal on which abutton is mounted is sufficiently robust to withstand wear from repeateduse of the button. Improper button mounting arrangements may lead todamage to the device housing during use.

It would therefore be desirable to be able to provide improved ways tomount button structures to electronic device housings.

This can be accomplished by providing an electronic device havingbuttons that are pressed by a user. The electronic device may be aportable or handheld electronic device. The electronic device may havehousing portions that are made from metal. The electronic device may,for example, have a metal housing portion that forms a band around thedevice.

Mounting structures may be provided for attaching button assemblies tothe inside of electronic device housing. An integral spring may beattached to the inside of the housing. A button plate may have buttonmembers and an opening through which the spring may be inserted,attaching the button plate through the housing. The housing may haveopenings through which the button members protrude to the outside of thehousing.

The spring may protrude though a hole in a button plate that is locatedbetween two button members. The button plate may have slots on eitherside of the hole to relieve stress in the button plate when the buttonmembers are pressed by a user.

One or more springs may be provided on the inside of the housing thatgrasp the sides of the button plate. For example, the housing portionmay have two, four, or six springs that grip the sides of the buttonplate when the button plate is mounted in position against the inside ofa portion of the housing.

An electronic device housing may have a mounting structure such as aclip that is welded to the housing and that holds a button plate inposition within a recess in the housing. The button plate may be tiltedinto position under the clip.

A dome switch assembly may be attached to the housing so that eachbutton member presses on a dome switch. A housing may have screw bossesthat are used to attach the dome switch assembly. A spring that is usedto attach the button plate to the housing may have a screw boss that isused to attach the dome switch assembly to the housing.

In accordance with an embodiment, an electronic device in provided thatincludes a button plate having at least one button member, a housingstructure having at least one opening through which the button memberprotrudes for actuation by a user, and at least one spring that attachesthe button plate to the housing.

In accordance with another embodiment, an electronic device is providedwherein the button plate has at least one opening and wherein the springfits through the opening in the button plate.

In accordance with another embodiment, an electronic device is providedwherein the spring has leaves that retain the button plate against thehousing portion.

In accordance with another embodiment, an electronic device is providedwherein the spring includes a threaded bore that forms a screw boss.

In accordance with another embodiment, an electronic device is providedthat also includes a dome switch assembly attached to the screw boss.

In accordance with another embodiment, an electronic device is providedwherein the button plate has two slots on opposing sides of the opening,

In accordance with another embodiment, an electronic device is providedwherein the spring includes one of a plurality of springs, wherein thebutton plate has sides, and wherein the plurality of springs pressagainst the sides of the button plate.

In accordance with another embodiment, an electronic device is providedwherein the plurality of springs include at least four springs.

In accordance with another embodiment, an electronic device is providedwherein the housing structure includes a metal housing structure.

In accordance with another embodiment, an electronic device is providedwherein the electronic device has four sides and wherein the housingstructure includes a metal band that surrounds the four sides.

In accordance with another embodiment, an electronic device is providedthat also includes a dome switch assembly having at least one domeswitch that is controlled by moving the button member.

In accordance with another embodiment, an electronic device is providedwherein the at least one button member includes two button members,wherein the dome switch assembly includes two dome switches, wherein thehousing structure has at least one screw boss, and wherein the domeswitch assembly attaches to the screw boss so that each of the twobutton members controls a respective one of the two dome switches.

In accordance with an embodiment, an apparatus is provided that includesan electronic device housing structure having first and second openings,first and second button members that protrude through the first andsecond openings, a button plate to which the first and second buttonmembers are attached, wherein the button plate has an opening, and aspring that is mounted to the electronic device housing structure andthat passes through the opening in the button plate to hold the buttonplate to the electronic device housing structure.

In accordance with another embodiment, an apparatus is provided thatalso includes wherein the button plate has at least one slot.

In accordance with another embodiment, an apparatus is provided whereinthe button plate has first and second slots on opposing sides of theopening in the button plate.

In accordance with another embodiment, an apparatus is provided whereinthe spring includes a threaded bore and wherein the apparatus furtherincludes a dome switch assembly having first and second dome switches,wherein the dome switch assembly is attached to the spring with a screwthat is screwed into the threaded bore.

In accordance with another embodiment, an apparatus is provided whereinthe electronic device housing structure includes a metal band thatsubstantially surrounds four sides of an electronic device.

In accordance with another embodiment, an apparatus is provided whereinthe spring is welded to the electronic device housing structure andwherein the button plate has a plurality of slots.

In accordance with an embodiment, an apparatus is provided that alsoincludes an electronic device housing structure having at least oneopening, at least one button member that reciprocates within theopening, and a button plate to which the button member is attached, anda spring that is attached to the metal electronic device housingstructure and that holds the button plate to the electronic devicehousing structure.

In accordance with another embodiment, an apparatus is provided whereinthe button plate has an opening, wherein the spring passes through theopening in the button plate, wherein the electronic device housingstructure includes at least part of a metal band, wherein the buttonplate includes a pair of slots, wherein the spring is welded to theelectronic device housing structure, and wherein the spring has leavesthat retain the button plate in place against the electronic devicehousing structure.

In accordance with these embodiments, structures are provided for rcounting button assemblies to electronic device housings.

Housing structures 5612 may have openings for buttons such as buttons7626 (see, e.g., FIG. 2A). Buttons 7626 may be push buttons, switches,rocker switches, knobs, or other suitable types of buttons. Buttons maybe pressed or otherwise actuated by a user to control the function ofdevice 10. For example, buttons 7626 may be used to switch device 10 onor off or may be used to turn display 7628 on or off. Buttons 7626 mayalso control audio volume (e.g., the volume of audio that is generatedin association with a media playback event or a telephone call) or thevolume of a ringer or other component. If device 10 has mobile telephonecapabilities, buttons 7626 may be used to control mobile phone functionssuch as setting a vibration setting, or other suitable mobile phonefunctions, if device 10 has multimedia capabilities, buttons 7626 maycontrol multimedia playback functions (e.g., play, stop, pause, forward,reverse, etc.). Device 10 may have any suitable number of buttons 7626.For example, device 10 may have one or more buttons, two or morebuttons, three or more buttons, etc.

In the example of FIG. 2A, buttons 7626 are shown as being groupedtogether in a top left part of housing 5612. In general, buttons 7626may be located anywhere within housing 5612 and need not be groupedtogether. If desired, buttons may be located on front surface 5616 (suchas button 5619) or on rear surface 7632 (see, e.g., FIG. 213).

Buttons such as buttons 7626 of FIG. 2A may be formed from buttonassemblies that are mounted within the interior of device 10. Buttonstructures on the button assemblies may protrude through openings in thehousing of device 10.

An illustrative button assembly that may be used for buttons such asbuttons 7626 in FIG. 2A is shown in FIG. 24. In the example of FIG. 24,button assembly 7648 is shown as being mounted to housing structures5612 (e.g., a metal band). Housing portion 5612 may have an exteriorsurface such as exterior (outside) surface 7641 and an interior surfacesuch as interior (inner) surface 7643. Button assembly 7648 may bemounted to inner surface 7643 of housing portion 5612 so that buttonmembers 7650 protrude through openings 7652 in housing portion 5612.Button members 7650 may be push button members that may be pressed fromthe outside of housing portion 5612 by a user. When a user actuates thebutton members, the button members reciprocate within correspondingopenings in the housing. Button members 7650 may be made from materialssuch as metal, glass, ceramic, composites, or plastic (as examples).

Button members 7650 in assembly 7648 may be mounted on a supportingplate such as button plate 7634 using welds, adhesive, fasteners, orother suitable attachment mechanisms. Button plate 7634 may be made fromstainless steel, other metals, plastic, or other suitable materials.Button plate 7634 may be mounted to inner surface 7643 of housingportion 5612 (e.g., using welds, screws, adhesive, etc.). In the exampleof FIG. 24, housing portion 5612 has a spring (spring 7636) that isattached to inner surface 7643 of housing portion 5612. Spring 7636 maybe attached in a substantially permanent fashion to housing portion 5612(e.g., using welds, adhesive, fasteners, etc.) and may thereforesometimes be referred to as an integral spring. Spring 7636 may, forexample, be formed from a spring metal that is welded to housing portion5612.

Spring 7636 may protrude through an opening such as opening 7640 inbutton plate 7634. Opening 7640 in button plate 7634 may be aligned withspring 7636 on housing portion 5612. During assembly of device 10,button plate 7634 may be pressed onto spring 7636 so that spring 7636passes through opening 7640. Spring 7636 may be compressed as it passesthrough opening 7640. After passing through opening 7640, spring 7636may relax back to its original position, holding button plate 7634against housing portion 5612. Button plate 7634 may have slots such asslots 7638 on either side of opening 7640. Slots 7638 may allow buttonplate 7634 to flex when either of button members 7650 is compressed.

Button assembly 7648 may have a dome switch assembly such as dome switchassembly 7651. Dome switch assembly 7651 may have dome switches such asdome switches 7646. Dome switches 7646 may be aligned with buttonmembers 7650. When a given one of button members 7650 is pressed, itscorresponding dome switch 7646 will be compressed and electricalcontacts inside dome switch 7646 will become electrically connected,closing the switch. Dome switches 7646 may be mounted on a supportingstructure such as button bracket 7644. A rigid or flexible printedcircuit board (“flex circuit”) with copper traces may be electricallyconnected to dome switches 7646. The printed circuit may be used tointerconnect dome switches to processing circuitry in device 10.

Dome switch assembly 7651 may be mounted so as to bear against innersurface 7653 of button plate 7634. To ensure that dome switch assembly7651 is held in place when button members 7650 are depressed, domeswitch assembly 7651 may be connected to housing portion 5612. As shownin the example of FIG. 24, housing portion 5612 may have screw bossessuch as screw bosses 7642. Screw bosses 7642 may, for example, be weldedto housing portion 5612. Screws such as screws 7645 may be insertedthrough openings such as openings 7668 in button bracket 7644 to attachbutton bracket 7644 to housing portion 5612 (e.g., by screwing intothreads in bosses 7642). If desired, spring 7636 may have a threadedbore that forms an integral screw boss such as screw boss 7666. Buttonbracket 7644 may have an opening such as opening 7669 through which ascrew such as screw 7647 may be inserted to attach button bracket 7644to screw boss 7666 on housing portion 5612,

In the example of FIG. 24, two buttons members 7650 are shown withcorresponding dome switches 7646. In general, button plates such asbutton plate 7634 may have any suitable number of button members 7650.For example, button plate 7634, may have one, three, four, five, or morebutton members 7650. Dome switch assembly 7651 may have correspondingnumbers of dome switches 7646. Button plate 7634 may be attached to morethan one spring 7636. For example, if button plate 7634 has three buttonmembers 7650, then button plate 7634 may have two springs 7636, each ofwhich is located between two button members 7650. In configurations inwhich button plate 7634 has two button members 7650, spring 7636 may belocated in a central position, corresponding to an opening such asopening 7640, which is located in the center of button plate 7634. Ifbutton plate 7634 has more than two button members 7650, springs 7636may be located between pairs of respective button members 7650, so thata button member is located on either side of each spring 7636. Housingportions 5612 may have any suitable number of screw bosses for attachingto dome switch assembly 7651.

A top perspective view of button plate 7634 is shown in FIG. 25A. Buttonplate 7634 may have button members 7650 that protrude from a top surface(or outer surface) of button plate 7634 such as top surface 7657. Buttonmembers 7650 may be formed as integral portions of button plate 7634 ormay be separate structures that are attached to button plate 7634.Button members 7650 may be attached to plate 7634 using welds, adhesive,fasteners, press-fitting techniques, etc. If desired, button plate 7634may have openings through which button members 7650 are inserted. Buttonmembers 7650 may be fixed to button plate 7634, or, if desired, buttonmembers 7650 may be allowed to slide through openings in button plate7634 when button members 7650 are pressed by a user.

Button plate 7634 may have slots such as slots 7638 on either side ofopening 7640. Slots 7638 may allow button plate 7634 to flex. Forexample, if the button member on right portion 7654 of button plate 7634is pressed, slot 7638 may allow right portion 7654 of button plate 7634to move with the button press, while mid-portion 7656 and left portion7658 of button plate 7634 remain stationary. If button plate 7634 hasmore than two button members 7650, button plate 7634 may have more thanone opening 7640 and more than one pair of slots 7638.

FIG. 25B is a side view of button plate 7634. In the example of FIG.2513, button members 7650 have been inserted through openings 7662 ofbutton plate 7634. Button members 7650 protrude from top surface 7657 ofbutton plate 7634. Button members 7650 may have bases such as bases 7660that are wider than openings 7662 in button plate 7634. This type ofarrangement is, however, merely illustrative. If desired, button membersmay have bases that are inset into bottom surface 7653 of button plate7634 so that bases 7660 are flush with inner surface 7653. Buttonmembers 7650 may also have bases 7660 that are no wider than openings7662. If desired, button members 7650 may be mounted directly on topsurface 7657 of button plate 7634 (i.e., in a configuration in whichbutton plate 7634 does not have any corresponding openings 7662).

FIG. 25C is a bottom perspective view of button plate 7634. In theillustrative example of FIG. 25C, button members 7650 are visible inopenings 7662 on the bottom surface 7653 of button plate 7634. Ifdesired, button members 7650 may be mounted directly to top surface 7657of button plate 7634 so that button members 7650 are not visible onbottom surface 7653 of button plate 7634.

FIG. 26 is a perspective view of housing portion 5612 in the vicinity ofspring 7636. As shown in FIG. 26, spring 7636 may be formed on insidesurface 7643 of housing portion 5612. Spring 7636 may have leaves suchas leaves 7664. Leaves 7664 may be springy and may be used to holdbutton plate 7634 to housing portion 5612. Spring 7636 may have anysuitable number of leaves 7664. In the example FIG. 26, spring 7636 hasfour leaves 7664. Spring 7636 may have optional screw boss 7666 thatattaches to button bracket 7644 or other desired components. Housingportion 5612 may have screw bosses 7642 that attach to button bracket7644 on either side of button plate 7634 (see, e.g., FIG. 24). Openings7652 in housing portion 5612 may receive button members such as buttonmembers 7650 (see, e.g., FIG. 24).

FIG. 27 is a perspective view of button plate 7634 attached to housingportion 5612. Button plate 7634 may be pressed onto spring 7636. Leaves7664 on spring 7636 may bend when being passed through hole 7640 onbutton plate 7634 (see, e.g., FIGS. 25A-25C). After passing through hole7640 on button plate 7634, leaves 7664 may snap back into position,securing button plate 7634 to housing portion 5612. Button members 7650on button plate 7634 may pass through holes 7652 on housing portion 5612(see, e.g., FIG. 26). Slots 7638 may allow button plate 7634 to flexwhen either of button members 7650 is pressed by a user. Screw bosses7642 and screw boss 7666 may be used to attach bracket 7644 (see, e.g.,FIG. 24). Screw boss 7666 may be part of spring 7636. Screw bosses 7642may lie on either side of button plate 7634. If desired, screw bosses7642 and 7666 may be used to attach additional components.

FIG. 28 is a perspective view of dome switch assembly 7651. Dome switchassembly 7651 may have a supporting structure such as button bracket7644. Dome switches 7646 may be attached to button bracket 7644 usingadhesive or other suitable fastening techniques. Button bracket 7644 mayhave screw holes 7668 and 7669 that are used to attach bracket 7644 toscrew bosses 7642 and 7666 on housing portion 5612 (see, e.g., FIG. 24).

Another illustrative example of how button plate 7634 may be attached tohousing portion 5612 is shown in the perspective view of FIG. 29.Housing portion 5612 may have one or more springs 7670. In the exampleof FIG. 29, four springs 7670 are shown, although, in general, housingportion 5612 may have any suitable number of springs 7670. For example,housing portion 5612 may have two or six springs. Springs 7670 may bewelded to housing portion 5612 and may therefore sometimes be referredto as integral springs. Button plate 7634 may be pressed into positionagainst inside surface 7643 of housing portion 5612, between springs7670. For example, button plate 7634 may be pressed in the direction ofarrow 7672 (i.e., straight into housing portion 5612). When button plate7634 is in position against housing portion 5612, springs 7670 willpress against the edges of button plate 7634 such as edges 7671. Buttonmembers 7650 may protrude through holes in housing portion 5612. Screwboss 7666 may be welded to housing portion 5612 and may fit through ahole in button plate 7634. A dome switch assembly of the type shown inFIG. 28 may be attached to screw boss 7666 to housing 5612. Screw bossessuch as screw bosses 7642 may be located on either side of button plate7634 and may also be used in attaching the dome switch assembly tohousing 5612.

FIG. 30 is a side view of button assembly 7648 having springs 7670 asshown in FIG. 29. As shown in FIG. 30, housing portion 5612 may haveopenings such as opening 7652. Housing portion 5612 may have springssuch as springs 7670. Button plate 7634 may have button members such asbutton member 7650 that fits through opening 7652 in housing portion5612. Button plate 7634 may be mounted in recessed portion 7674 ofhousing 5612. Springs 7670 are attached to housing portion 5612 and mayhold button bracket 7644 in position. To insert button plate 7634 intoposition against housing 5612, button plate 7634 may be pressed indirection 7672 (i.e., towards inner surface 7643 of housing 5612).Button bracket 7644 and dome switch 7646 of dome switch assembly 7651may fit against underside 7653 of button plate 7634. Housing portion5612 may have a screw boss such as screw boss 7666 that attaches buttonbracket 7644 and other portions of dome switch assembly 7651 to housingportion 5612.

Another illustrative example of how button plate 7634 may be attached tohousing portion 5612 is shown in FIG. 31. Button plate 7634 of FIG. 31has button members 7650 that fit through corresponding openings inhousing portion 5612 such as opening 7652 in FIG. 32. Housing portion5612 may have a screw boss 7666 that protrudes though a correspondingopening in button plate 7634. Screw bosses such as screw boss 7666 andscrew bosses 7642 may be used to attach a dome switch assembly such asdome switch assembly 7651 of FIG. 32. Housing portion 5612 may have aclip such as clip 7676. Clip 7676 may be formed from spring metal orother suitable materials. Clip 7676 may be welded to metal band 5612 orother housing structures. Clip 7676 may be used to attach button plate7634 to metal band 5612. Clip 7676 may be sufficiently rigid to holdplate 7634 in place. Button plate 7634 may be tilted into position. Forexample, button plate 7634 may be tilted in the direction of arrow 7678in order to slide button plate 7634 under clip 7676. Housing portion5612 may have any suitable number of clips 7676.

FIG. 32 is a side view of button assembly 7648 having a clip such asclip 7676. Housing portion 5612 may have openings such as opening 7652.Button plate 7634 may have button members such as button member 7650.Button member 7650 may fit through opening 7652 in housing portion 5612.Button plate 7634 may be tilted into position against inner surface 7643of housing portion 5612. Button plate 7634 may reside in a recessedportion 7674 of housing 5612. During assembly of device 10, button plate7634 may be tilted in the direction of arrow 7678 in order to slidebutton plate 7634 under clip 7676. Clip 7676 may be sufficiently rigidto retain plate 7634.

After button plate 7634 has been inserted into position, dome switchassembly 7651 may be attached to housing portion 5612. Dome switchassembly 7651 may have button bracket 7644 and dome switches such asdome switch 7646. Housing portion 5612 may have screw bosses such asscrew bosses 7666. Screw boss 7666 may be used to attach button bracket7644 to housing portion 5612.

If desired, button mounting structures of the types shown in FIGS. 27,29, and 31, may be used in combination. For example, housing portion5612 may have a spring such as spring 7636 of FIG. 27 that protrudesthrough an opening in button plate 7634 as well as springs such assprings 7670 of FIG. 29 that grip the edges of button plate 7634.

Electronic devices such as portable electronic devices often havebuttons. Buttons may protrude from a device housing. A user may operatea button by pressing on the button.

It is sometimes desirable to form portions of a device housing frommetal. Metal housing may have improved structural or aestheticproperties. Buttons may also be formed from metal.

Button assemblies may sometimes have undesired friction or motion.Undesired wear and tear may result from friction between parts. Buttonmembers that are loosely held in button assemblies may have undesiredmovement and may rattle. Button members that rattle may feel unpleasantto a user and may generate undesired noise. Undesirable friction andrattle may be increased when a housing and button are formed frommaterials such as metal.

It would therefore be desirable to be able to provide ways to reduceunwanted friction and undesired motion in electronic device buttonassemblies.

This can be accomplished by providing an electronic device (e.g., device10 of FIGS. 1, 2A, and 2B) with buttons that are pressed by a user. Theelectronic device may have housing portions that are made from metal.The electronic device may, for example, have a metal housing portionthat forms a band around the device. Protruding button members andplanar button members (button plates) may be formed from metal.

Button assemblies may be provided with a member such as a silicone sheetthat is interposed between the housing and button plates. This layer ofmaterial may reduce undesired motion and rattle of the buttons. Thislayer of material may also reduce wear on the buttons frommetal-on-metal contact.

Button assemblies may have button plates with nubs that are insertedthrough holes in the button plates. The nubs may be silicone nubs andmay protrude on each side of the button plate. The nubs may reducemotion of the button plates with respect to the device housing.

A button member may have a ring such as a silicone ring that encirclesthe base of the button member. The ring may reduce friction and wearbetween a button member and device housing when a button member isactuated by a user. If desired, the ring may be a coating on the buttonmember.

An anti-roll bar may be attached to a button member to guide the motionof the button member when it is pressed by a user. The anti-roll bar maybe coated to reduce friction and wear between the anti-roll bar anddevice housing.

A spring may be attached to a button plate having a button member. Thespring may press against a button bracket having dome switches. Thespring may reduce undesired movement of the button member. The springmay be compressed when the button member is pressed by a user and mayguide the motion of the button member.

According to an embodiment, an electronic device button assembly isprovided that includes a metal housing structure having an opening, abutton member within the opening in the housing structure, a buttonplate formed on the button member, and a polymer layer interposedbetween the button plate and the housing structure.

According to another embodiment, an electronic device button assembly isprovided wherein the polymer layer is attached with adhesive to thebutton plate and to the metal housing structure.

According to another embodiment, an electronic device button assembly isprovided wherein the polymer layer includes a silicone layer.

According to another embodiment, an electronic device button assembly isprovided wherein the polymer layer flexes when the button member ispressed and wherein the button member and button plate are formed frommetal.

According to an embodiment, an electronic device button assembly thatincludes a metal housing structure having at least one opening, at leastone button member corresponding to the at least one opening in thehousing structure, a button plate attached to the button member, andpolymer nubs inserted in the button plate that contact the metal housingstructure and prevent the button plate from contacting the metal housingstructure.

According to another embodiment, an electronic device button assembly isprovided wherein the least one button member includes two buttonmembers, wherein the at least one opening in the metal housing structureincludes two openings, and wherein the polymer nubs inserted in thebutton plate include polymer nubs inserted in the button plate betweenthe two button members.

According to another embodiment, an electronic device button assembly isprovided wherein the polymer nubs include four or more polymer nubs.

According to another embodiment, an electronic device button assembly isprovided wherein the polymer nubs include silicone nubs.

According to another embodiment, an electronic device button assembly isprovided wherein the polymer nubs are compression molded polymer nubs.

According to another embodiment, an electronic device button assembly isprovided that also includes a ring surrounding the button member,wherein the ring is interposed between the button member and the metalhousing structure and wherein the button member includes a metal buttonmember.

According to an embodiment, an electronic device button assembly isprovided that includes a metal housing structure having an opening, ametal button member mounted within the opening of the housing structure,and a ring surrounding the metal button member, wherein the ring isinterposed between the metal button member and the metal housingstructure.

According to another embodiment, an electronic device button assembly isprovided wherein the ring includes an elastomeric ring.

According to another embodiment, an electronic device button assembly isprovided wherein the ring includes a coating on the metal button member.

According to another embodiment, an electronic device button assembly isprovided wherein the metal button member has a recessed portion andwherein the ring is mounted in the recessed portion of the metal buttonmember.

According to an embodiment, an electronic device button assembly isprovided that includes an electronic device housing structure having anopening, a button member within the opening of the housing structure,and an anti-roll bar attached to the button member, wherein theanti-roll bar has a coating.

According to another embodiment, an electronic device button assembly isprovided wherein the coating includes a polymer coating, wherein theelectronic device includes a handheld device, and wherein the electronicdevice housing structure includes a metal sidewall member.

According to an embodiment, a portable electronic device button assemblyis provided that includes a portable electronic device housing structurehaving an opening, a button member that reciprocates within the openingin the portable electronic device housing structure, a button platestructure attached to the button member, a button support member, and adome switch mounted on the button support bracket, wherein the buttonplate structure has at least one spring that presses against the buttonsupport member.

According to another embodiment, a portable electronic device buttonassembly is provided wherein the at least one spring includes twosprings that contact the button support member on either side of thedome switch.

According to another embodiment, a portable electronic device buttonassembly is provided wherein the portable electronic device housingstructure includes a metal housing wall and wherein the spring isconfigured to compress when the button member is pressed by a user.

According to another embodiment, a portable electronic device buttonassembly is provided wherein the portable electronic device housingstructure is formed from metal and wherein the button plate structure isformed from metal.

Housing structures 5612 may have openings for buttons such as buttons7626. Buttons 7626 may be push buttons, switches, rocker switches,knobs, or other suitable types of buttons. Buttons may be pressed orotherwise actuated by a user to control the function of device 10. Forexample, buttons 7626 may be used to switch device 10 on or off or maybe used to turn display 7814 on or off. Buttons 7626 may also controlaudio volume (e.g., the volume of audio that is generated in associationwith a media playback event or a telephone call) or the volume of aringer or other component. If device 10 has mobile telephonecapabilities, buttons 7626 may be used to control mobile phone functionssuch as setting a vibration setting, or other suitable mobile phonefunctions. If device 10 has multimedia capabilities, buttons 7626 maycontrol multimedia playback functions (e.g., play, stop, pause, forward,reverse, etc.). Device 1.0 may have any suitable number of buttons 7626.For example, device 10 may have one or more buttons, two or morebuttons, three or more buttons, etc.

In the example of FIG. 2A, buttons 7626 are shown as being groupedtogether in a top left part of housing 5612. In general, buttons 7626may be located anywhere within housing 5612 and need not be groupedtogether.

Buttons such as buttons 7626 of FIG. 2A may be formed from buttonassemblies that are mounted within the interior of device 10. Buttonstructures on the button assemblies may protrude through openings in thehousing of device 10.

An illustrative button assembly that may be used for buttons such asbuttons 7626 in FIG. 2A is shown in FIG. 33. In the example of FIG. 33,button assembly 7848 is shown as being mounted to housing structure 5612(e.g., a metal band). Housing portion 5612 may have an exterior surfacesuch as exterior (outside) surface. 7841 and an interior surface such asinterior (inner) surface 7843. Button assembly 7848 may be mounted toinner surface 7843 of housing portion 5612 so that button members 7850protrude through openings 7852 in housing portion 5612. Button members7850 may be push button members that may be pressed from the outside ofhousing portion 5612 by a user. When a user actuates the button members,the button members reciprocate within corresponding openings 7852 in thehousing. Button members 7850 may be made from materials such as metal,glass, ceramic, composites, or plastic (as examples).

Button members 7850 in assembly 7848 may be mounted on supporting platessuch as button plates 7834 using welds, adhesive, fasteners, or othersuitable attachment mechanisms. If desired, each plate 7834 and itsassociated button member 7850 may be formed as an integral structure.Button plates 7834 may be made from stainless steel, other metals,plastic, or other suitable materials. Button plate 7834 may be alsoreferred to as a button plate structure. In the example of FIG. 33, eachbutton member 7850 is mounted to a corresponding button plate 7834.However, if desired, more than one button member 7850 may be mounted ona single button plate (e.g., to form a rocker switch).

A layer of material such as layer 7870 may be interposed between housingstructure 5612 and button plates 7834. Layer 7870 may be made from apolymer or plastic such as silicone, or other materials. Layer 7870 maybe planar and may sometimes be referred to as a planar member or plate.Layer 7870 may be attached to inner surface 7843 of housing structure5612 with an adhesive such as adhesive 7872. Layer 7870 may be attachedto the top surfaces of button plates 7834 with an adhesive such asadhesive 7872. Layer 7870 may reduce unwanted wear from metal-on-metalcontact. Layer 7870 may serve to minimize unwanted movement such aslateral movement that could lead to rattle. In particular, layer 7870may reduce undesired motion of button members 7850 and button plate 7834in side-to-side directions 7882 and 7884 parallel to the planar exteriorsurface of housing structure 5612. Layer 7870 may also help securebutton plate 7834 against housing structure 5612. Adhesive 7872 may beapplied along the surface of layer 7870. Regions near button members7850 such as regions 7871 may be left without adhesive 7872 so thatlayer 7870 may flex when button member 7850 is pressed by a user.

Button assembly 7848 may have a dome switch assembly such as dome switchassembly 7851. Dome switch assembly 7851 may have dome switches such asdome switches 7846. Dome switches 7846 may be aligned with buttonmembers 7850. When a given one of button members 7850 is pressed, itscorresponding dome switch 7846 will be compressed and electricalcontacts inside dome switch 7846 will become electrically connected,closing the switch. Dome switches 7846 may be mounted on a supportingstructure such as button bracket 7844. Button bracket 7844 may be alsoreferred to as a button support member. A rigid or flexible printedcircuit board (“flex circuit”) with copper traces may be electricallyconnected to dome switches 7846. The printed circuit may be used tointerconnect dome switches to processing circuitry in device 10.

Dome switch assembly 7851 may be mounted so that switches 7846 bearagainst inner surface 7853 of button plate 7834. To ensure that domeswitch assembly 7851 is held in place when button members 7850 aredepressed, dome switch assembly 7851 may be connected to housing portion5612. As shown in the example of FIG. 33, housing portion 5612 may havescrew bosses such as screw bosses 7842. Screw bosses 7842 may, forexample, be welded to housing portion 5612. Screws such as screws 7845may be inserted through openings such as openings 7868 in button bracket7844 to attach button bracket 7844 to housing portion 5612 (e.g., byscrewing into threads in bosses 7842). Housing portions 5612 may haveany suitable number of screw bosses 7842 for attaching to dome switchassembly 7851.

FIG. 34 is a perspective view of housing structure 5612 and layer 7870.Layer 7870 may be attached to inner surface 7843 of housing structure5612. Button members 7850 (see, e.g., FIG. 33) may be inserted throughopenings in layer 7870 and housing structure 5612. Button plates 7834may be attached to button members 7850. Button plates 7834 may beattached to layer 7870 with an adhesive such as adhesive 7872. Screwbosses such as screw bosses 7842 may be attached to housing structure5612 and may be used to attach structures such as dome assembly 7851(see, e.g., FIG. 33). In the example of 34, two buttons are insertedthrough layer 7870. In general, any number of buttons may be insertedthrough each layer 7870.

Layer 7870 may flex when button member 7850 is pressed by a user, asillustrated in the example of FIG. 35. In the example of FIG. 35, layer7870 is attached with adhesive 7872 to housing structure 5612. There maybe regions without adhesive 7872 such as regions 7871 that areimmediately adjacent to button member 7850. When button member 7850 ispressed by a user (in a direction denoted by arrow 7876), portions oflayer 7870 that are attached by adhesive 7872 to button plate 7834 maymove in direction 7876 along with button plate 7834 and button member7850. The movement of layer 7870 may help guide button member 7850 indirection 7876. The movement of layer 7870 may also serve as a motiondampener, dampening the motion of button member 7850. When button member7850 returns to its original position, layer 7870 may cushion the impactof button plate 7834 against housing structure 5612. When button member7850 is pressed by a user, such as in the example of FIG. 35, buttonmember 7850 may be said to be in a depressed position, a pressedposition, an actuated position, or a down position. When button member7850 is not being pressed by a user, such as in the example of FIG. 33,button member 7850 may be said to be in an unpressed position,unactuated position, an initial position, or an up position.

FIG. 36 shows an example of a button plate having nubs such as nubs7878. Nubs 7878 may be formed from silicone or other suitable materials.Nubs 7878 may be inserted through holes 7880 in button plate 7834 andmay protrude on either side of button plate 7834. In FIG. 36, two buttonmembers 7850 are attached to button plate 7834 (e.g., to form a rockerswitch in which plate 7834 pivots about pivot axis 7881). In general,any suitable number of button members 7850 may be attached to buttonplate 7834. Button members 7850 protrude from openings 7852 in housingstructure 5612. Nubs 7878 may contact inside surface 7843 of housingstructure 5612. Nubs 7878 may reduce side-to-side motion of buttonmembers 7850 within openings 7852. For example, nubs 7878 may reducemotion of button members 7850 and button plate 7834 in side-to-sidedirections 7882 and 7884. Nubs may prevent metal-on-metal contact, suchas contact between button plate 7834 and housing structure 5612 inregion 7879.

A top perspective view of button plate 7834 having elastomeric memberssuch as nubs 7878 is shown in FIG. 37. In the example of FIG. 37, sixnubs 7878 are shown positioned in rows and columns between buttonmembers 7850. In general, any suitable number of nubs 7878 may be used.Button plate 7834 may have, for example, two nubs or more nubs, four ormore nubs, six or more nubs, etc. Nubs 7878 may be arranged in arrays orother configurations.

FIG. 38 is a cross-sectional side view of two button plates 7834 eachhaving one button member 7850. Button plates 7834 may have nubs 7878inserted in holes 7880. Button members 7850 may protrude from openings7852 in housing structure 5612. Nubs 7878 may rest against insidesurface 7843 of housing structure 5612. In the example of FIG. 38, nubs7878 are shown positioned on either side of each button member 7850. Ingeneral, nubs 7878 may be positioned in any suitable configuration.

Nubs 7878 may be formed by compression molding. FIG. 39 shows molds 7877that may be used to form nubs 7878. Molds 7877 may be placed aroundbutton plate 7834. Button plate 7834 may have holes 7880. An elastomericmaterial such as silicone may be placed in cavity 7883 of molds 7877.Pressure and heat may be applied until the material has attained itsdesired form.

FIG. 40 is a side cross-section view of button member 7850 insertedthrough opening 7852 of housing structure 5612. A ring such as ring 7886may surround button member 7850. Ring 7886 may be formed from anelastomeric material such as plastic or silicone. Ring 7886 may serve asa gasket that prevents button member 7850 from directly contactinghousing structure 5612 when button member 7850 reciprocates in opening7852. Ring 7886 may be similar to an “O-ring” that is stretched overbutton member 7850. Ring 7886 may be formed by depositing a coating onbutton member 7850 such as a plastic coating or other coating layer thatis softer than metal. If desired, button member 7850 may have a recessednotch such as inset 7891 to accommodate ring 7886. Button member 7850may be attached to button plate 7834. Button member 7850 may be weldedat points 7888 to button plate 7834. In the example of FIG. 40 buttonplate 7834 is shown as having an opening 7890. However this is merelyillustrative. Ring 7886 may be serve as a rattle prevention ring. Ring7886 may reduce the rattling of button member 7850 by preventingmetal-on-metal collisions during movement of device 10. Ring 7886 mayalso reduce the noise from the rattling of button member 7850. Ring 7886may aid in environmental sealing around button member 7850. FIG. 41 is abottom perspective view of button member 7850 having ring 7886.

If desired, buttons may have an associated anti-roll bar. As shown inthe example of FIG. 42, anti-roll bar 7892 may be attached to buttonmember 7850. Anti-roll bar 7892 may prevent button member 7850 fromtilting when button member 7850 is pressed by a user. Button member 7850may be attached to button plate 7834. Button member 7850 may reciprocatealong axis 78101 within opening 7852 in housing structure 5612. Buttonplate 7834 may press against dome switch 7846 mounted on button bracket7844. Anti-roll bar 7892 may pivot around pivot 78102 and mayreciprocate within a groove such as groove 78104 between housingstructure 5612 and button bracket 7844. When a user presses on buttonmember 7850 (i.e., in direction 78100), anti-roll bar 7892 may pivotcounterclockwise around pivot 78102 and slide in direction 7898 withingroove 78104. Anti-roll bar 7892 may guide the movement of button member7850 and may aid button member 7850 in pressing evenly against domeswitch 7846.

Anti-roll bar 7892 may be formed from metal. Housing structure 5612 andbutton bracket 7844 may also be formed from metal. If desired, anti-rollbar 7892 may be provided with a core 7896 formed from metal and alubricating coating 7894. Coating 7894 may a polymer or plastic materialsuch as silicone that reduces friction between anti-roll bar 7892,housing 5612, and bracket 7844 (e.g., in groove 78104). Coating 7894 maybe applied to bar 7892 using techniques such as dip coating, padprinting, painting, electrostatic painting, powder coating, sputtering,or heat shrinking. Anti-roll bar 7892 may also be formed from a coatedwire.

FIG. 43 is a diagram of button member 7850 and anti-roll bar 7892 whenviewed in direction 78100 of FIG. 42. Ann-roll bar 7892 may besubstantially U-shaped with three sides. Anti-roll bar 7892 may havetips 78108 that are inserted into openings 78106 in button member 7850.Bar tips 78108 in openings 78106 may form a pin-in-hole joints or“revolute joints”. Bar 7892 may have a coating such as coating 7894 overa core 7896. Core 7896 may be formed from metal. Coating 7894 may beformed from a polymer to prevent undesired metal-on-metal friction whenbar tips 78108 pivots within openings 78106.

If desired, a spring such as a bias spring may be used to minimizerattle in button assemblies, FIG. 44 is a side view of a button assemblythat has bias spring 78110. Button member 7850 may be attached to buttonplate 7834. Button member 7850 may be inserted through an opening suchas opening 7852 in housing structure 5612. Button member 7850 and buttonplate 7834 may press against dome switch 7846 on button bracket 7844. Ifdesired, button bracket 7844 may have a flex circuit such as flexcircuit 78114 that may be used for dome switch electronics. A springsuch as spring 78110 may be attached to button plate 7834. Spring 78110may be welded to button plate 7834 at location 78112. Spring 78110 maybe known as a bias spring or a clip. Spring 78110 may bias button plate7834 against button bracket 7844. If bracket 7844 has a flex circuitsuch as flex circuit 78114, spring 78110 may rest against or adjacent toflex circuit 78114. Spring 78110 may help reduce rattle in buttonassembly 7848. Spring 78110 may also help secure button plate 7834against housing structure 5612. Spring 78110 may also guide buttonmember 7850 as it reciprocates within opening 7852 of housing structure5612.

FIG. 45 is a bottom view of button plate 7834 of FIG. 44. Button plate7834 may have springs 78110 located on either side of button member7850. Springs 78110 may press on button bracket 7844 on either side ofdome switch 7846 (see, e.g., FIG. 44).

When button member 7850 is pressed by a user, spring 78110 may compress,as shown in the example of FIG. 46. In FIG. 46, button member 785( )hasbeen pressed by a user in the direction of arrow 78116. Button member7850 is therefore in a depressed position. Spring 78110 may aid inguiding button member 7850 so that button member 7850 presses squarelyonto dome switch 7846.

The foregoing is merely illustrative of the principles of this inventionand various modifications can be made by those skilled in the artwithout departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.

1-17. (canceled)
 18. An electronic device comprising: a support platecomprising: a button member; and an opening defined through the supportplate adjacent to the button member; a frame defining an apertureaccommodating the button member; and a retainer comprising: a screw bossextending into the opening; and a spring arm extending from the screwboss and against the support plate to retain the support plate againstthe frame.
 19. The electronic device defined in claim 18, wherein thebutton member is formed from a material selected from the groupconsisting of metal, glass, ceramic, composite, or plastic.
 20. Theelectronic device defined in claim 18, further comprising a dome switchassembly coupled to the screw boss.
 21. The electronic device defined inclaim 18, wherein the support plate defines two slots on opposing sidesof the opening.
 22. The electronic device defined in claim 18, whereinthe frame is formed from metal.
 23. The electronic device defined inclaim 18, wherein: the electronic device comprises four sidewalls; andthe frame comprises a metal band that surrounds the four sidewalls. 24.The electronic device defined in claim 18, further comprising a domeswitch assembly positioned between the button member and the supportplate.
 25. The electronic device defined in claim 18, wherein: thebutton member is a first button member; and the electronic devicefurther comprises a second button member positioned opposite the openingfrom the first button member.
 26. The electronic device defined in claim18, further comprising a button bracket substantially parallel to thesupport plate and coupled to the frame.
 27. An electronic devicecomprising: a housing comprising a frame defining a button aperture; asupport plate comprising: a button member within the button aperture;and an opening defined through the support plate adjacent to the buttonmember; a retainer coupled to an interior surface of the frame andextending through the opening, the retainer coupling the support plateto the frame.
 28. The electronic device of claim 27, further comprising:a dome switch positioned between button member and the support plate.29. The electronic device of claim 27, wherein the button member ismovable with respect to the frame.
 30. The electronic device of claim27, wherein the button member has a round cross-section.
 31. Theelectronic device of claim 27, wherein the button member is formed fromceramic.
 32. The electronic device of claim 27, wherein the supportplate comprises an array of button members, the array of button memberscomprising the button member.
 33. The electronic device of claim 32,wherein the array of button members are arranged in a linear pattern.34. An electronic device comprising: a frame defining a button aperture;a support plate comprising: a button member within the button aperture;and an opening defined through the support plate adjacent to the buttonmember; a retainer comprising a number of spring clips extending throughthe opening and holding the support plate to the frame.
 35. Theelectronic device of claim 34, wherein the support plate comprises anelectrical circuit.
 36. The electronic device of claim 35, wherein theelectrical circuit comprises an antenna.
 37. The electronic device ofclaim 36, wherein: the antenna is aligned with the button member; andthe button member is formed from a dielectric material.